Metal oxide layers serve as a layer structure, e.g. for displays and solar cells for conducting electrical currents while minimally absorbing light beams.
It appears that, depending on the deposition technique and used parameter settings, electrical properties of the metal oxide layer are not always optimal after deposit on the substrate. As an example, the electrical resistivity can be relatively high, in the order of 10−2 Ohm cm, while the mobility and charge carrier density is relatively low, in the order of 3-5 cm2/Vs and in the order of 5·1019 cm−3, respectively.
In order to improve the electrical properties of the metal oxide layer, it is known that a high temperature baking process, e.g. at a temperature in a range of 400-600° C. and/or a low pressure plasma treatment can result in such improvement. However, the high temperature baking process is merely applicable to structures that can sustain high temperatures. Further, the low pressure plasma treatment is expensive.